[DR-Motion]

Thanks to everyone for their input... brainstorming keeps me out of the dreaded rut.

After trying everyone's ideas... including Graham's with homemade layflat... I settled on a combination of my original stocking idea with a pinch of Hu's sewn cover and simmered gently with Graham's layflat... and don't forget to add the slinky. :cheers:

Basically I obtained some black smooth Lycra fabric ( with a four way stretch ) and sewed it into 1 1/4 " tubes. This tube is smaller than the O.D. of the slinky (1 1/2 ")... but it stretches

A hem ( like on the bottom of your pant's leg ) was sewn at both ends of the tube... leaving a 1/4" gap in the hem... into which a slinky coil could be inserted.

The tube was then turned inside out... so that the seam and hems were on the inside of the tube... and the slinky was inserted into the tube.

The slinky coil nearest the opening of the lycra tube was wound into the hem... then the other end of the slinky was pulled through to the opposite end of the tube.

By first unwinding the slinky a full 360 degrees this end was now fed into the hem... so that by the time it was fully wound in... there was no tension on the slinky.

By cutting the lycra tubes... and the slinkys... to the correct sizes before assembly I ended up with six bellows style ballscrew covers.

Attaching the bellows to the machine was easy... using velcro backed with "industrial" (?) adhesive on the machine ends and velcro "split circle" washers on the bellows.

Pictures to follow... later

Try it out... total cost CAN $1 for three slinkys... CAN $10 for 1 metre of lycra ( only used 1/3 including waste and experiments )... CAN 4 hours for sewing ( so I'm not a seamstress )... NO MORE CRAP IN MY BALLNUTS... priceless

Gary

[Graham S]

Excellent, can't wait for the pictures

Graham

[duluthboat]

........

[daytrader]

Please post pictures if you can. Thanks.

[coherent]

Noticed this thread was a bit dated, but read somewhere (maybe here?) that you can spray a little lube on the ballscrew (not the nut make sure it's clean), put a healthy bead of silicone (rtv etc) around the ballnut opening and the screw, wait till it cures and then twist the screw to break loose the silicone from the screw... it makes a wiper that holds up, impervious to temp and is easy to replace... plus really cheap.
Haven't tried it myself, so if you do, let us know!
-marc

[anoel]

How about one of those Spring Snake things from the "Snake in a Can" Gags.

http://www.gagworks.com/browseproduc...ITTLE-CAN.HTML

You get two 5 foot long snakes for $11.99 and these should compress well.

(Seems like the slinky/snake screw cover thing was discussed a year or so ago. I could not find an old post, but I know that I posted the Peanut Snake here once before.)

[DR-Motion]

Hi All,

Been a while since my last post.
I've attached a couple of pictures of the "slinky" bellows.


The first pic shows a couple of assembled covers , some slinkys and two lycra "socks". One of the "socks" shows the exposed seams...yeah, I know my sewing sucks but I'm no seamstress.

Notice the hems at the ends of the sock, sewn in red thread for illustration purposes. This is where the ends of the slinky fit into when the sock is turned inside out.

Pic 2 shows the end coil of the slinky being inserted into the hem.

I know my explanation is clear as mud so ask questions and I'll try to clarify.

regards Gary

[corrie]

Nice job Gary and thanks for the pics.Brilliant little idea,should work just fine and the price is right too.

[Rance]

If the lead screw needs shielding from the chips & dirt, then how about the slide rails? It seems that folks using roller bearings (as opposed to Delron slides) would also benefit from a bellows to cover the rails. Is this necessary?

Rance

[Carver]

You might want to take a look at the (semi) clear 2" or 3" dust collectors hose sold at the major woodworking chains. (Woodcrafters is about $20 for a 10' piece) it is reinforced and made to take being dragged around the floor.

Don't really know if it would work, just a thought.

Good luck, PP

[kywoodwrkr]

Any IBM selectric typewriter experts here?
How did IBM keep the rod cleaned off that the selectric head ran back and forth on?
Or was the paper dust even any problem in that application?
DaveP

[cliffhiker]

Well...... I used to service them in the dark ages before computers... lol..

They used clear celophane folded accordian style
with the accordian compressed, there's a hole drilled near top center....
through this hole is threaded a cord from moving carriage to side frame,
and the end cellophane folds are attached to the carriage & frame...

hope the description helps.... I'll try to drag up a photo or drawing....
simple and elegant solution... primarily to keep dust from falling .onto. the shaft
but did not offer 360 degree protection of the shaft... however was more
than sufficient...